How much difference would it make if Apple put 16GB of RAM into both the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and the iPhone Duo? According to a claim from the leaker known as Instant Digital, Apple’s initial plan was to put 16GB of RAM.       

The Weibo post making the claim doesn’t completely explain why the change happened. But the 12GB memory rumor was around leakers Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu. Earlier in the year, a report from the Bell indicated that the memory would be supplied by Samsung. The change from 16GB to 12GB could be due to the ongoing memory shortage, supply chain issues, or internal decisions. However, the global memory shortage fits best as the culprit.

There were reports from Ming-Chi Kuo regarding the price hike of memory modules and how it could affect the pricing for iPhone Duo, and it completely makes sense now. The Bell also shared reports in March specifically about the price hike of 12GB memory modules. Apple’s A20 chips are super powerful. Apple claims 20% faster CPU performance and 40% faster GPU performance. This could definitely improve the feel and make everything faster and better even with 12GB memory.

If accurate, this is the first time rising component costs forced Apple to quietly step down ambitions between internal planning and an actual product launch. The future iPhones could be equipped with 16GB memory, but that remains anyone’s guess for now.